Fruit-sorter.



A D. HUNTLEY.

FRUIT SORTER.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 21.1908.

Patented J an. 12, 1909.

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ABIEL D. HUNTLEY, OF PALATKA, FLORIDA.

FRUIT-SORTER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 12, 1909.

Application filed May 21, 1908. Serial No. 434,190.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ABIEL D. HUNTLEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Palatka, in the county of Putnam and State of Florida, have invented a new and useful Fruit-Sorter, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has relation to fruit sorters and it consists in the novel arrangement and construction of its parts as hereinafter shown and described.

The object of the invention is to provide a device of the character indicated which is of simple construction and arrangement and which may be manipulated manually for the purpose of sorting fruit with accuracy and precision and at the same time eliminating objectionable features or elements calculated to injure or bruise the fruit during the process of sorting.

\Vith this object in view the device consists primarily of an endless belt arranged to travel around journaled rollers in an orbit of elongated configuration. The rollers are supported in a frame which is so mounted that the upper and lower runs of the belt are inclined with relation to the longer axis of the orbit that it describes. An inclined skid board is arranged at one edge of the upper portion of the said belt and a shunt board is arranged above the upper side of the belt and is disposed at an angle toward the said skid board. Means is provided for adjusting the angle at which the shunt board is disposed toward the skid board. One end of a chute is disposed over one end of the orbit of the belt and the roller at the same end of the orbit of the belt is provided with a means for rotating the same so that the upper portion of the belt moves away from the said chute. Means is also provided for shifting the rollers in the frame so that they may be moved toward or away from each other for the purpose of adjusting the belt and permitting the same to have slacks for the purpose of facilitating the process of sorting the fruit as will hereinafter appear.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the sorter. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same, and Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional View of the same on the line 83 of Fig. 9..

The sorter consists of the frame 1 which is provided at one side with the relatively short legs 2 and at the opposite side with the relatively long legs 3. The roller 4 is journaled for rotation at one end of the frame 1 and the roller 5 is journaled for rotation at the opposite end of the said frame. The shafts of said rollers are journaled in the boxes 7 and 8 respectively and the set screws 9 and 10 pass through fixed portions of the frame of the device and bear against the said boxes 7 and 8 respectively and may be manipulated for the purpose of shifting the said boxes longitudinally of the frame 1. The endless belt 11. passes around the rollers 4 and 5 and as it is the intention to place the device upon a level surface and as the legs 2 and 3 are of different lengths the upper and lower portions of the said belt will be inclined with relation to the surface upon which the device is supported. Such inclination is laterally of the belt. The inclined skid board 12 is located at one side of the frame 1 and extends along the edge of the upper portion of the belt 11. The said skid board is located over the shorter legs 2 and the inclination of its outer portion is in a downward direction so that in transverse section the said skid board and the upper portion of the belt 11 are in anticlinal relation. The shunt board 13 is obliquely disposed over the upper portion or side of the belt 11 and is adjustably supported upon the uprights 14 by means of the arms 15 attached to the said shunt board and having elongated openings 16 which receive the clamp bolts 17 attached to the said uprights 14. Thus the said shunt board 13 is pitched at an angle to the skid board 12 and the angle of inclination between the said boards may be increased or diminished as desired by loosening the clamp 17 and adjusting the arms 15 upon the same.

The crank handle 18 is mounted upon the shaft of the roller 5 and the lower end of the inclined chute 19 is located above the said roller 5. The upper surface of the skid board 12 is provided with a number of transversely disposed ribs 20 which are designed to divide the said board throughout its length into a series of passageways.

The operation of the device is as follows :-The unassorted fruit is permitted to run down the chute 19. At the same time an operator rotates the roller 5 through the instrumentality of the crank handle 18. Thus the belt 11 moves in an orbit about the rollers 4 and 5 which orbit is of elongated configuration with substantially parallel upper and lower sides. As the fruit rolls from the chute 19 upon the upper portion of the belt 11 it is carried along by the said belt away from the end of the said chute l9 and the weight of the fruit upon the upper portion of the said belt will concave the said upper portion of the belt slightly especially so in View of the fact that the pull upon the belt is exerted toward the roller 5 from the lower side of the said belt, thus the downward bowing of the upper portion of the belt 11 leaves the upper edge of the skid board 12 slightly elevated with relation to the said upper portion of the said belt and said elevated edge forms a slight ridge which prevents the fruit from accidentally falling off from the said upper portion of the belt. As the fruit moves along with the belt it comes in contact with the shunt board 13 the larger bodies are first pushed over the upper edge of the skid board 12 and the smaller bodies pass along with the belt 11 until they in turn are pushed over the upper edge of the board 12 at other points between the ribs 20. By reason of the fact that the skid board 12 is inclined the fruit is not dropped or permitted to fall in a vertical direction from the sorter, but .may roll from the sorter into a receptacle, (not shown), thus there is no danger of bruising or damaging the fruit as a consequence of rough handling. Thus it will be seen that the fruit is assorted as it passes along the upper portion of the belt 11 and that the bodies of fruit of similar size fall or are pushed over the upper edge of the skid board 12 at the same point the larger bodies being pushed over first and the smaller being pushed over successively as they decrease in diameter. It will also be seen that by reason of the fact that the weight of the fruit together with the manner in which the belt is moved forces the upper portion of the said belt to bow downwardly along the edge of the skid board and that such downward bowing of the belt prevents the fruit from rolling from the chute 19 upon the belt and continuing in its rolling movement over the edge of the skid board before it is pushed over the said board by the action of the shunt board. The device may be used to advantage for sorting fruits of various sizes and shapes, such as oranges, apples, pears, peaches etc. and it maybe used for sorting vegetables such as tomatoes, potatoes, onions, beets etc.

Having described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters- Patent is 2- A fruit sorter comprising an elongated frame, rollers journaled for rotation at the ends thereof and lying in inclined positions transversely of the frame, means for adj usting the roller longitudinally of the frame, an endless belt passing around the rollers, an inclined chute having its lower end located over one of the rollers, the roller under the end of the chute serving as a driving means for moving the belt in an orbit along the frame with its side near the chute moving away from the chute, an inclined skid board supported upon the frame and having its upper edge adjacent the edge of the upper portion of the belt, and a shunt board adjustably supported upon the frame over the upper portion of the belt and at an angle to the skid board, said boards converging toward each other at that end of the frame remote from the chute.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ABIEL D. HUNTLEY.

Vitnesses HENRY C. CLARK, FRANCES E. POLLARD. 

